Non-Federal Early Career Grant Programs

American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR)

  • AFAR Research Grants for Junior Faculty:   The major goal of this program is to assist in the development of the careers of junior investigators committed to pursuing careers in the field of aging research. AFAR supports research projects concerned with understanding the basic mechanisms of aging. Projects investigating age-related diseases are also supported, especially if approached from the point of view of how basic aging processes may lead to these outcomes. Projects concerning mechanisms underlying common geriatric functional disorders are also encouraged, as long as these include connections to fundamental problems in the biology of aging. The applicant must be an independent investigator with independent research and must be no more than 10 years beyond start of postdoctoral research training.
  • The New Investigator Awards in Alzheimer’s Disease:   Deadline is traditionally in the spring. The major goal of this partnership with The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation is to support important research in areas in which more scientific investigation is needed to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. The program also serves to encourage junior investigators in the United States and Israel to pursue research and academic careers in the neurosciences, and Alzheimer’s disease, in particular. The applicant must be an independent investigator with independent research and must be no more than 10 years beyond start of postdoctoral research training.

Paul Beeson Career Development Awards in Aging Research Program:

Deadline is traditionally in November. The National Institute on Aging (NIA), The Atlantic Philanthropies (USA), The John A. Hartford Foundation, and the National Institute on Neurological Disorders and Strokes (NINDS) are collaborating on this initiative to sustain and promote the research careers of clinically trained individuals who are pursuing research careers in aging. The program is aimed at addressing the current and severe shortage of clinically trained faculty (primarily physicians) who have the combination of medical, academic, and scientific training to improve the care of our nation’s older people. The program provides three to five years of mentored career development support to enable investigators to gain skills and experience in aging research and to establish an independent program of research in this field.

American Society for Mass Spectroscopy (ASMS):

ASMS research awards aim to promote academic research by young scientists in mass spectrometry. Applicants are limited to academic scientists within four years of joining the tenure track faculty or equivalent in a North American university. Applicants may not have previously received an award under this program. Applicants must be members of ASMS.